Trails Day #1 at Cedar Hill: Tree Walk

Saturday June 2nd 2018 was day one of Connecticut Trails Day Celebration. Like recent years, I marked the day by attending the annual Tree Walk at Cedar Hill Cemetery (see here (2017) & here (2016): for a different "walk", see here (2011)).

Group Photo #1 (I am next to the lady in red).

The Cedar Hill 2018 Calendar description of the Tree Walk: "John Kehoe leads this walk featuring our rate and notable trees. Highlights include the beautiful European Weeping Beech, the unusual (for the Northeast) Umbrella Magnolia, and the Huss Hemlock named for a resident of Cedar Hill."

Tour leader John Kehoe (in orange t-shirt).
(Did you spot me at the left?).

The Connecticut Forest & Park Association 2018 Trails Day booklet description: "This educational walk will highlight Cedar Hill's rare and notable trees located within the cemetery's ornamental foreground and historic memorial sections. Distance: 2 miles."

Group Photo #2 (I am on the right)

The tour lasted from 10 am until noon.

Tour leader John Kehoe (note the
portable loud speaker unit at his waist)

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Links:
https://www.ctwoodlands.org/ct-trails-weekend/the-story-behind-connecticut-trails-day
http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org/
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2017/06/ct-trails-day-tree-walk-at-cedar-hill.html
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2016/06/tree-tour-at-cedar-hill.html
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2011/06/national-trails-day.html
http://cedarhillfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010-Tree-Map-Inside-Final_MAPGRN2.QXD_.pdf
http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org/grounds
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Written Wednesday July 4, 2018.

Memorial Day 2018 (sort of)

Fairview Cemetery (looking East)

As in recent past years, my way to mark Memorial Day (aka Decoration Day) this year consisted of walking to nearby Fairview Cemetery to place American flags on the graves on military veterans. I was there from 8:45 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. The weather was dry, hot (near 90F) and rather humid. This year I started out with a few names in Section 15 (near the front of the cemetery) but then grabbed a few more bundles of flags and meandered around seeking graves that were missed by those before me.

As I write this, our town's parade and speeches are wrapping up. I used to attend this but it became too unbearable for me due to the over politicizing and pandering to blind patriotism by the politicians and frivolous parades consisting of unaware and ignorant civic groups eager to leave for picnics, BBQs, and the beaches.

Memorial Day originally stated off as a somber day of remembrance of  the Civil War dead. It was a day when Americans went to the cemetery to decorate the graves of our war dead (not veterans). Today, Memorial Day has merely become a holiday marking the beginning of the summer season. What to do? At least say a prayer for peace and contemplate how you might be a force to avoid adding to the toll of war dead.

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Links:

http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2017/05/flag-planting-at-fairview-cemetery.html
http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2018/may/26/real-patriotism-on-memorial-day-means-losing-fewer-soldiers-in-meaningless-wars/

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Written Monday 28 May 2018

Shoeless Joe Books

Front dust jacket (of  my hard bound edition).

The other day, I finished reading another of the Baseball Card Adventure series books, Shoeless Joe & Me. I love reading these juvenile fiction books right before bed. They are simple and usually not too stressful.

The description from the dust jacket (front flap) reads:

"Since Joe Stoshack first traveled back in time through a baseball card to meet Honus Wagner, he knew he had a special gift. So when sports card shop owner Flip tells Stosh all about his hero, Shoeless Joe Jackson-about the scandal that destroyed the star player's career-Stosh gets an idea. If he travels back in time with a 1919 baseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sox Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson-one of the greatest players in the history of the game-would finally take his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, where he truly belongs. 

But can Stosh prevent that tempting envelope full of gambling money from making its way to Shoeless Joe's hotel room before the big game? Put on your caps and get ready for Joe Stoshack's fourth amazing baseball card adventure!"

I bought my copy at a used book sale earlier this year. My sister Carol had been talking about Shoeless Joe Jackson and so I picked it up with her in mind.

I had the chance to pick up other books in the series but they were the soft cover editions (Scholastic Press). I would much rather hold a hard bound book. I also got a kick out of the actual book with the title embossed into the cover.

If you look closely, you might be
able to make out the title embossed in the cover.

Early in April, I read another children's book about Shoeless Joe:  Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy.

My copy was a soft bound edition.

It was in this charming book (loved the illustrations) that I learned the Joe had played  a substantial part of his major league career in Cleveland! I sent this one off to my sister and my Mom to enjoy and pass it forward.

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Links:
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2017/11/who-invented-baseball.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Card_Adventures
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoeless_Joe_Jackson
http://dangutman.com/dans-books/baseball-card-adventure-series/
https://philbildner.com/books/picture-books/shoeless-joe-black-betsy/
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Written Saturday June 30, 2018.